Foldable Display Support Layer With Slits to Reduce Creasing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foldable display devices face issues with durability and mechanical stress concentration during folding, leading to potential screen creasing and mechanical failure.
Innovation Solution
A panel support layer with a lattice pattern of alternating bars and slits, combined with strategically positioned cut lines, is designed to distribute mechanical stress evenly and enhance structural integrity, ensuring smoother folding and improved longevity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a continuous panel support layer is used in foldable display devices, then structural integrity is maintained, but mechanical stress concentration occurs during folding leading to screen creasing and potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
The panel support layer is divided into multiple independent support bars separated by cut lines. This segmentation allows each bar to independently bear mechanical stress during folding, preventing stress concentration that would occur in a continuous layer, while still maintaining overall structural support for the display panel.
Solution Approach 2:
The support layer has different structural characteristics in different regions: support bars provide localized rigid support where structural integrity is needed, while cut lines create flexible regions that accommodate folding motion. This local differentiation allows the structure to simultaneously achieve both strength and folding reliability.
2Strength
If the panel support layer is made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then strength is improved, but flexibility during folding is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the rigid support layer into discrete bars separated by cut lines, the structure gains flexibility. Each bar remains rigid to provide local support, while the cut lines allow relative movement between bars during folding, enabling the overall structure to adapt to folding motions.
Solution Approach 2:
The support layer transitions from a static continuous structure to a dynamic segmented structure where bars can move independently during folding. The cut lines enable this dynamic behavior, allowing the structure to rigidly support the panel when flat but flexibly accommodate folding when bent.
Data Source
AI summary
A display device including: a display panel; and a panel support layer disposed on the display panel, wherein the panel support layer includes: a folding portion, at least one non-folding portion disposed on at least one side of the folding portion, a plurality of bars and a plurality of slits alternately arranged at the folding portion, and at least one cut line disposed between the slits and the non-folding portion.